Aerosol provision devices with a substance of 8-12 denier and a first and second tube portion extending therefrom

PRIORITY CLAIM

0001The present application is a National Phase entry of PCT Application No. PCT/EP2017/073061, filed Sep. 13, 2017, which claims priority from GB Patent* Application No. 1615609.3, filed Sep. 14, 2016, which is hereby fully incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

0002The present disclosure relates to a container, and more particularly to a container for an apparatus for generating an inhalable material.

BACKGROUND

0003Smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars and the like burn tobacco during use to create tobacco smoke. Attempts have been made to provide alternatives to these articles that burn tobacco by creating products that release compounds without burning. Examples of such products are heating devices which release compounds by heating, but not burning, the material. The material may be for example tobacco or other non-tobacco products, which may or may not contain nicotine.

0004As another example, there are so-called e-cigarette devices. These devices typically contain a liquid which is heated to vaporize the liquid to produce an inhalable vapor or aerosol. The liquid may contain nicotine and/or flavorings and/or aerosol-generating substances, such as glycerol. The known e-cigarette devices typically do not contain or use tobacco.

SUMMARY

0005According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a substance container for an aerosol provision device for providing an inhalable medium comprising an aerosol, the substance container comprising: a body of material that is permeable so as to allow the aerosol generated in the device to flow into and through the body of material and; a substance in the body of material for modifying a property of the aerosol when the aerosol flows through the body of material.

0006According to a second aspect of the disclosure, there is provided an aerosol provision device for providing an inhalable medium comprising an aerosol; the device comprising such a container.

0007Further features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from the following description of embodiments of the disclosure, given by way of example only, which is made with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like features appearing in different ones of the drawings are giving the same reference numerals in the different drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

0008<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. <b>1</b></figref> shows a schematic of an exemplary aerosol provision device.

0009<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. <b>2</b></figref> shows a schematic sectional view of an example of a flavor container.

0010<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. <b>3</b></figref> shows a schematic sectional view of another example of a flavor container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

0011Referring to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. <b>1</b></figref>, a schematic of an aerosol provision device <b>100</b> is illustrated. The aerosol provision device <b>100</b> is an inhalation device (i.e. a user uses it to inhale an aerosol provided by the device <b>100</b>) and the device <b>100</b> is a hand held device. In this example, the device <b>100</b> is an electronic device, for example an electronic cigarette <b>100</b>.

0012In broad outline, the device <b>100</b> volatilizes a liquid to form a vapor or an aerosol which passes through a flavor container <b>200</b> received, for example, in a mouthpiece <b>102</b> of the device <b>100</b>. In at least some examples a vapor is produced that then at least partly condenses to form an aerosol before exiting the device <b>100</b>. The flavor container <b>200</b> imparts a flavor to the vapor or aerosol passing through the mouthpiece <b>102</b> for inhalation by a user.

0013In this respect, first it may be noted that, in general, a vapor is a substance in the gas phase at a temperature lower than its critical temperature, which means that for example the vapor can be condensed to a liquid by increasing its pressure without reducing the temperature. On the other hand, in general, an aerosol is a colloid of fine solid particles or liquid droplets, in air or another gas. A colloid is a substance in which microscopically dispersed insoluble particles are suspended throughout another substance.

0014For reasons of convenience, as used herein the term aerosol should be taken as meaning an aerosol, a vapor or a combination of an aerosol and vapor.

0015Returning to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. <b>1</b></figref>, the device <b>100</b> comprises an outer body or housing <b>104</b> comprising an upper portion <b>106</b> housing a cartridge <b>108</b> and a lower portion <b>110</b> housing a battery portion <b>112</b>. The cartridge <b>108</b> is connected to, but removable from, the battery portion <b>112</b>. In this example, at least the upper portion <b>106</b> of the outer body <b>104</b> may be removed so as to expose the cartridge <b>108</b>, and hence allow installation, removal and/or replacement of the cartridge <b>108</b>. The cartridge <b>108</b> has a liquid container <b>114</b> for containing e-cigarette liquid <b>116</b>.

0016The device <b>100</b> has the mouthpiece <b>102</b> removably connected to the upper portion <b>106</b> of the outer body <b>104</b>. The mouthpiece <b>102</b> has received therein the flavor container <b>200</b> for imparting a flavor to a flow of aerosol that passes through the mouthpiece <b>102</b>. Examples of flavor elements <b>200</b> will be discussed in more detail below.

0017The device <b>100</b> is arranged so that as the liquid <b>116</b> is volatilized so as to produce an aerosol at least some or all or substantially all of the aerosol or passes through the flavor container <b>200</b> received in the mouthpiece <b>102</b> for example so as to entrain constituents of the flavor container <b>200</b> therein.

0018The liquid container <b>114</b> is provided generally centrally of the cartridge <b>108</b>. The liquid container <b>114</b> is frusto-conical in shape, but may have a different shape, such as conical, cylindrical, etc. The liquid container <b>114</b> is annular in shape and defines a cylindrical channel <b>114</b><i>a </i>running through the length of the liquid container <b>114</b>. The liquid container <b>114</b> may be formed of rigid, watertight and airtight materials, such as metal, suitable plastics, etc.

0019The cartridge <b>108</b> is provided with a heater <b>118</b> and a wick (not shown) in (thermal) contact with the heater <b>118</b>. In this example, the heater <b>118</b> and the wick are provided as a single unit, sometimes known as an “atomizer”. In this case, where the cartridge <b>108</b> includes an atomizer, such a cartridge <b>108</b> is often referred to as a “cartomizer”.

0020The orientation of the heater <b>118</b> is shown schematically and for example the heater <b>118</b> may be a coil having its longitudinal axis perpendicular or parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge <b>108</b>.

0021The wick (not shown) is in contact with the liquid <b>116</b>. This may be achieved, for example, by the wick (not shown) being inserted through a through hole (not shown) in an end wall <b>124</b> of the liquid container <b>114</b>. Alternatively or additionally, the end wall <b>124</b> may be a porous member which allows liquid to pass through from the liquid container <b>114</b>, and the wick (not shown) may be in contact with the porous end wall <b>124</b>. The end wall <b>124</b> may be for example in the form of a porous ceramic disk. A porous end wall <b>124</b> of this type helps to regulate the flow of liquid onto the wick (not shown). The wick (not shown) is generally absorbent and acts to draw in liquid <b>116</b> from the liquid container <b>114</b> by capillary action (shown schematically in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. <b>1</b></figref> by arrows A). The wick can be non-woven and may be for example a cotton or wool material or the like, or a synthetic material, including for example polyester, nylon, viscose, polypropylene or the like, or a ceramic material.

0022The cartridge <b>104</b> is (electrically) connected to a battery in the battery portion <b>112</b> to enable the heater <b>118</b> to be powered. When the heater <b>118</b> is powered (which may be instigated for example by the user operating a button (not shown) of the device <b>100</b> or by a puff detector (not shown) of the overall device <b>100</b>, as is known per se), liquid <b>116</b> drawn (shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. <b>1</b></figref> by arrows A) in from the liquid container <b>114</b> by the wick and is heated by the heater <b>118</b> to volatilize or vaporize the liquid, so as to generate an aerosol.

0023In use, the liquid <b>116</b> may be heated to a temperature of between around 100-300° C. or more particularly around 150° C. to 250° C. The liquid <b>116</b> may, or may not, comprise nicotine.

0024As the user draws on the mouthpiece <b>102</b>, air is drawn through an air inlet <b>126</b>. The liquid <b>116</b> is volatized or vaporized by the heater <b>110</b> into the air from the air inlet <b>126</b> thereby to produce a flow of an aerosol. The flow of aerosol is drawn through a channel <b>114</b><i>a </i>of the liquid container <b>114</b>, through the flavor container <b>200</b> received in the mouthpiece <b>102</b>, and out from the device <b>100</b> for inhalation by a user (this flow is shown by arrow B in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. <b>1</b></figref>).

0025The aerosol picks up (entrains) flavor (and/or other constituents) from a flavor substance in flavor container <b>200</b>. One or more constituents of the flavor substance is thereby mixed with the flow of the aerosol thereby enhancing the sensory experience of a user. Advantageously, this enables a user to quickly add or modify a flavor sensation without having to first change the liquid <b>116</b> and in a way that reduces the likelihood of there being a thermal breakdown of that flavor that can sometimes occur with flavor provided in the actual liquid <b>116</b> following repeated use of the device <b>1</b>.

0026<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. <b>2</b></figref> illustrates an example of a flavor container <b>200</b> that can be used in the device <b>100</b> as described above.

0027In this example, the flavor container <b>200</b> comprises an elongate body of material <b>202</b> the composition of which is such that, when in use in the device <b>100</b>, the aerosol stream generated in the device <b>100</b> is able to enter the flavor container <b>200</b> at an ‘upstream’ end <b>204</b>, pass through the length of the flavor container <b>200</b>, and exit the flavor container <b>200</b> at a ‘downstream’ end <b>206</b>. In other words, the elongate body of material <b>202</b> is permeable to the flow of aerosol generated in the device <b>100</b>.

0028In some examples, the elongate body <b>202</b> comprises a fibrous material and may be, for example, a fibrous material that is typically used as a filter material in a traditional combustible cigarette, examples including cellulose acetate fibers, polypropylene fibers, polyester fibers and paper, including crimped paper. Other materials that may be used include, for example, nylon and the like.

0029In this example, a first flavor component <b>208</b> is supported in the elongate body of material <b>202</b>.

0030In one example, the first flavor component <b>208</b> is at least one flavor capsule that comprises an outer shell that encloses a flavor substance that comprises a flavorant. The flavor substance may be for example, a liquid, a gel, an emulsion, a suspension or beads. A user may, for example, manipulate the flavor container <b>200</b> in order to break the shell of the flavor capsule <b>208</b> in order to release the flavor substance into the material of the elongate body <b>202</b>. In use, the flow of aerosol through the elongate body picks up (entrains) flavor (and/or other constituents) from the released flavor substance so that one or more constituents of the flavor substance is thereby mixed with the flow of the aerosol thereby enhancing the sensory experience of a user.

0031In an alternative example, the first flavor component <b>208</b> is again a flavor capsule that comprises an outer shell that encloses a substance that comprises a flavorant and, in use, the outer shell decomposes (e.g. melts) because of the heat of the aerosol flow to release the substance. Accordingly, in this example, there is no need for a user to manually break the capsule open.

0032In other examples, the flavor substance is not contained in a capsule. For example, the flavor substance may comprise a material that has been ground or otherwise treated so that it is in the form of particles, for example, powder, granules, grains, fibers, beads or the like particles which may be distributed substantially evenly throughout the elongate body of material <b>202</b> or concentrated in one or more particular sections of the body of material <b>202</b>, for example the centre.

0033In some examples, such particles of flavor material may comprise tobacco although other botanicals or flavor agents may also be used.

0034In other examples, the flavor substance may comprises a gel or liquid or the like that is in body of material <b>202</b> but which is not released from a capsule.

0035In one example, the elongate body of material <b>202</b> comprises a continuous CA fiber formed into the elongate body of material <b>202</b> (e.g. the body of material <b>202</b> is what is known in the art as a ‘dalmatian’ type filter).

0036In another example, the elongate body of material <b>202</b> comprises a multiplicity of short cut CA fibers (e.g. fibers cut using a so called Turmalin apparatus) randomly orientated to form the elongate body of material <b>202</b>.

0037An advantage of using short cut CA fibers is that a relatively small quantity of fibers are required to form the ‘rod like’ shape of the elongate body of material <b>202</b> that supports the first flavor component <b>208</b>. This provides the benefit of a low pressure drop of the aerosol flow across the elongate body of material <b>202</b>. Additionally, less (or indeed no) plasticizer, for example, triacetine is required to maintain this rod form than is required when using a continuous fiber CA.

0038In some examples the length of the elongate body of material <b>202</b> is in the range 10 mm to 20 mm and preferably in the range 12 mm to 15 mm.

0039In some examples, the cross-sectional diameter of the elongate body of material <b>202</b> is in the range 5 mm to 9 mm and preferably in the range 7.5 mm to 8 mm.

0040The tow cross section may, for example, be Y-shaped in cross section, X-shaped in cross section or Round shaped in cross section.

0041In some examples, when the flavor component <b>208</b> is a capsule, the capsule is substantially round <b>9</b> (i.e. spherical) in shape and its diameter is in the range 3 mm to 5 mm and preferably in the range of 3 mm to 4 mm. In other examples, when the flavor component <b>208</b> is a capsule, the capsule is substantially prolate (e.g. ellipsoid) in shape and its elongate length (i.e. that along its major axis) is in the range 3 mm to 5 mm and preferably in the range of 3 mm to 4 mm.

0042In some examples, the pressure difference across the length of the elongate body of material <b>202</b> when a user takes a draw (i.e. from the upstream end to the downstream end) is in the range of 0 to 40 mm water gauge (wg) or 0 to 30 mm water gauge (wg), preferably in the range of 5 to 20 mm water gauge (wg) and most preferably is in the range 10 to 20 mm wg. Alternatively, most preferably the pressure difference is in the range 5 to 15 mm wg.

0043In some examples, when the elongate body of material <b>202</b> comprises CA, the CA fiber used has a single Denier value in the range of 8-12 for a single strand (i.e. the CA fiber has a mass in grams of between 8-12 per 9000 meters of the CA fiber). This range of Denier is particularly convenient for obtaining the above described pressure differences.

0044The flavor container <b>200</b> may further comprise an outer wrapper layer <b>210</b> that surrounds the elongate body of material <b>202</b> along its length to provide additional structural security to the flavor container <b>200</b>. The outer wrapper layer <b>210</b> may comprise any suitable material, for example, paper. In some examples, the outer wrapper layer <b>210</b> is configured so that its acts as a liquid resistant barrier that prevents liquid, for example, condensation that forms around the flavor container <b>200</b> when it is in use, from getting into the interior of the flavor container <b>200</b> and making the flavor container soggy. In examples in which the flavor component <b>208</b> is a capsule that is manipulated by hand to release a flavor liquid or gel, the outer wrapper layer <b>210</b> prevents a user's fingers getting coated in the liquid or gel and acts to retain the liquid or gel in the flavor container <b>200</b>. In one example, a liquid resistance wrapper layer <b>210</b> comprises paper impregnated with a barrier material or Natureflex or other suitable thin polymer film or plastic. The wrapper may have information printed on it, for example, an indication of a flavor type.

0045Referring now to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. <b>3</b></figref>, in some examples, the flavor container <b>200</b> may further comprise a hollow tube portion <b>212</b> extending from the region of the ‘upstream’ end <b>204</b> and/or a hollow tube portion <b>214</b> extending from the region of the ‘downstream’ end <b>206</b>. If the hollow tube portion <b>212</b> extending from the region of the ‘upstream’ end <b>204</b> is present, then, this may be used to affix the flavor container <b>200</b> to the mouthpiece <b>102</b> of the smoking device <b>1</b>. If the hollow tube portion <b>214</b> extending from the region of the ‘downstream’ end <b>206</b> is present, then, this tube portion <b>226</b> may itself be used as a mouthpiece by a user of the device <b>100</b>. Either tube portion <b>212</b> or <b>214</b> may comprise any suitable material, for example, paper, cardboard, plastic or CA.

0046It is envisaged that after a certain number of draws, for example 20-50, the flavor of a flavor container <b>200</b> will be exhausted and at this point a user may replace a used flavor container <b>200</b> in a device <b>100</b> with a replacement flavor container <b>200</b>. Replacement flavor containers <b>200</b> may of course be provided in packs. Each flavor container <b>200</b> may therefore be used over the course of multiple use sessions of the smoking device <b>1</b>.

0047In some examples, sufficient liquid <b>116</b> is provided in the liquid container <b>114</b> to last multiple user sessions. In some examples, the liquid container <b>114</b> is arranged so that it can be re-filled or topped up with fresh liquid <b>116</b> by a user when the user so chooses. In other examples, a user cannot access the liquid container to <b>114</b> to add liquid to it and so in some examples, when the liquid <b>116</b> provided in the liquid container <b>114</b> is depleted or runs low a user may simply replace the used cartridge <b>108</b> with a new one.

0048In some examples, the cartridge <b>108</b> and the container <b>200</b> may be provided in combination together as a consumable that can be connected to, but removable from, the battery portion <b>112</b>. This consumable may be designed to be a single session consumable (or at least limited number of sessions consumable) in that it contains sufficient liquid <b>116</b> and sufficient flavor substance in the container <b>200</b> to last a single user session (or limited number of user sessions) after which the user disposes of the consumable and replaces it with a new one.

0049Although in the examples described above, the container <b>200</b> is a flavor container and contains a substance for modifying a flavor of the aerosol when the aerosol flows through the body of material, this is not essential and instead (or in addition) the container <b>200</b> may contain a substance for modifying a property of the aerosol other than (or in addition) to flavor.

0050In some examples, the container <b>200</b> may contain a substance that modifies one or more other organoleptic properties of the aerosol (e.g. modifying the feel or smell or look of the aerosol to the user).

0051In some examples, the container <b>200</b> may contain a substance that modifies the PH of the aerosol by either lowering or raising the PH (e.g. modifying the acidity or the basicity of the aerosol).

0052In some examples, the container <b>200</b> may contain a substance that modifies (e.g. reduce) the amount of aldehydes in the aerosol.

0053In some examples, the container <b>200</b> may contain a substance that modifies different combinations of two or more of these or indeed other properties of the aerosol.

0054Although in the above described examples, the device <b>100</b> generates the aerosol by heating a liquid (the device is of type commonly referred to as an e-cig), this is not essential and in other examples, the device may generate the aerosol by heating, but not burning, a material, that may contain for example tobacco (e.g. a device sometimes referred to as a Tobacco Heating Product (THP) device).

0055Indeed, in any of the examples, the device <b>100</b> may include any suitable material for generating the aerosol and be in any suitable form, for example, a gel.

0056It will be appreciated that the container <b>200</b> may be provided in packs containing multiple containers

0057As used herein, the terms “flavor” and “flavorant” may refer to materials which, where local regulations permit, may be used to create a desired taste or aroma in a product for adult consumers. They may include extracts (e.g., licorice, hydrangea, Japanese white bark magnolia leaf, chamomile, fenugreek, clove, menthol, Japanese mint, aniseed, cinnamon, herb, wintergreen, cherry, berry, peach, apple, Drambuie, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, cardamom, celery, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmine, ylang-ylang, sage, fennel, piment, ginger, anise, coriander, coffee, or a mint oil from any species of the genus Mentha), flavor enhancers, bitterness receptor site blockers, sensorial receptor site activators or stimulators, sugars and/or sugar substitutes (e.g., sucralose, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, saccharine, cyclamates, lactose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, sorbitol, or mannitol), and other additives such as charcoal, chlorophyll, minerals, botanicals, or breath freshening agents. They may be imitation, synthetic or natural ingredients or blends thereof. They may be in any suitable form, for example, oil, liquid, solid, or powder. For example, a liquid, oil, or other such fluid flavorant may be impregnated in a porous solid material so as to impart flavor and/or other properties to that porous solid material. As such, the liquid or oil is a constituent of the material in which it is impregnated.

0058The above embodiments are to be understood as illustrative examples of the invention. It is to be understood that any feature described in relation to any one embodiment may be used alone, or in combination with other features described, and may also be used in combination with one or more features of any other of the embodiments, or any combination of any other of the embodiments. Furthermore, equivalents and modifications not described above may also be employed without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the accompanying claims.